Mumbai: Tree panel under siege as Save Aarey warriors mount ambush

The mood matched the fireengine red seats at the 250seater Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority MMRDA auditorium at Bandra Kurla Complex The Tree Authority of Mumbai and green warriors allied to citizens groups and those working in individual capacity had a fiery faceoff at a public hearing on Monday on objectionssuggestions about 2238 trees to be cut for the construction of a Metro Car depot for the Metro III project at Aarey Milk Colony in KEast wardYesterday afternoon green warriors allied to citizens groups and those working in individual capacity put aside their work to make their way to the new building at the upscale commercialresidential hub Jitendra Pardeshi tree officer introduced the panel with we have received 82000 emails to date which earned applauseAnswers pleaseAn audience memberZoru Bathena green activist led the charge telling the panel This is a 225seater auditorium last time 1000 people had attended This time due to the rain attendance may be thinner Bathena cited a number of court cases and said as cheers rang out through the room about transplanting trees it is the duty of the tree authority to preserve old trees even as a gentleman shouted yes yes yes Then Bhathena said any number of new trees you plant will not compensate for the old trees that have been cut If I bring 10 babies by which he meant new trees will they do your work There were whistles and kya baat haiAlso Read7yearold girls naked body found in field with salwar tied around neckA number of other speakers shouted move the car shed elsewhere One audience member took the mike and asked what is a car shed a yard to wash the Metro bogies Take it elsewhereWhile the tree authority representatives repeatedly told those confronting them that this was only a hearing they were shouted at to give answers Give a response give an answer Some in the hall shouted resign resignTribal talkAudience demands answersA significant number of tribals from the Adivasi padas of Aarey were in the front rows One of them took the mike and asked the panel you have cut the trees in Aarey that we have raised like children Who did you ask for the same Did you have permission Why are all the projects at Aarey You call us 100 people here and 10 of you cannot come to Aarey she asked as the room eruptedAlso readMumbai Support pours in against cutting 2703 Aarey treesOne gent shouted out look at their faces Another activist stated come to the site do not sit in airconditioned halls Why have this hearing now you do not care whether you get 40000 mails or 80000 mailsWhen one speaker said to the panel every tree will curse you another admonished him do not get personal An audience member Nicolas A summed up the mood when he began saying aata maazi satakli now I have lost it as the hall rang out with laughs and cheers He then told the panel You took our votes You put labels on buildings terming them heritage and nothing can be altered What about 100yearold trees Are they not heritage They have life in them Do you not have life in you At least 4000 trees have been cut for the T2 terminal Where are they transplanted Another said this is merely the trailer you have not seen the entire picture as a huge cheer rocked the roomVikaas and vinaashThe panel was faithfully recording all objections even as the audience hounded them for answers One tribal said have you lost your voice Another speaker said Come to Aarey for a day or two you will regain your voice to laughsEven as the panellists reassured the activists that they were noting down points and objections a shout went up the Tree Authority is the Tree Cutting Authority and another said this is the initial spark do not let it become an infernoA gent Jamshed S first pointed out this is not vikaas and chants of vikaas vikaas is vinaash vinaash went up touting progress but in reality it is destruction Then Jamshed S said the national debt is humongous who will pay it To which another said Modi Modi and yet another quipped which Modi Nirav Modi There was plenty of finger pointing with resign resign and Aam Aadmi Partys AAP activists crowding the front raised objections about Mumbai Metropolitan Rail Corporation Limited MMRCL officials on the dais saying they were a vested party When the Tree Authority members explained that MMRCL was part of the project they were shouted down and MMRCL members left the stage to triumphant shouts of bhago bhago As the 25 hour hearing wound down one saw significant police presence outside and on the road A youngster told the officials thank you for making me miss school Pointing out the ill effects of environmental degradation for future generations he said I hope I do not have to miss college for some sh like thisAlso read Mumbai Crime TV producers body found in lake at Aarey ColonyWith no answers since the pannellists were repeatedly told it was a hearing the voices rose make a decision Move the Metro car shed elsewhere Say it now said some Others said you need to quit quit Mumbai quit India resign resign Then it was over and though there was some despair a feeling that the inevitable felling cannot be stopped for an observer there was a smidgeon of pride too For all those who claim the space for dissent is narrowing here it was ordinary people who hurled questions insults and demanded answers from those in the chair We cannot say what may work right now Several moments in this hearing were indication that the worlds biggest democracy was speaking and cynics notwithstanding it was immensely movingCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates